A lot of people want to think Cersei Lannister is the massive underdog going into Game Of Thrones' great war in Season 7, but is she really? If there's one thing this series has taught me, it's that the Lannisters (in addition to being great debt settlers) are a crafty family. If you need a lot more proof than that, here are the reasons why Cersei will be the no-shame victor of Game Of Thrones' impending war.
There Is Nothing Left For Her To Lose
It's a well-deserved distinction, considering this whole situation was her doing, but Cersei has lost more than any other character in Game Of Thrones so far. It must be a vacuum of tragedy to lose your parents and all of your children, but at least it also removes any uncomfortable scenarios where she might have had to negotiate the return of a family member. She does still have Jaime, whose potential capture might push her to desperate measures; but provided he stays close to her side, there's not really much Jon or Dany can do to Cersei that will bring her to the metaphorical table for negotiations. While Dany has a similarly unique position, Jon still has some family to lose, and with Bran and Arya wandering the land, he might be very vulnerable.
Cersei Is A Survivor
There are many ways to describe Cersei Lannister, but none are more accurate than "survivor." (Okay, maybe "evil.") Since Season 1, Cersei has found herself in increasingly deeper shit, and has managed to claw her way back on top each time, and one can credit her ability to adapt to her surroundings for much of that. Whenever something unexpected comes her way, Cersei almost always manages to twist the current situation to play in her favor. Most of the time, she accomplishes this through alliances that only hold strong until the allied few are no longer of any use. In the span of months, she went from being publicly humiliated and naked in the streets to an all-powerful queen with all of her enemies dead, so should anyone really want to challenge her?
Cersei Doesn't Play By The Rules
Unlike her good-hearted enemies, Cersei Lannister is far from a rule-follower in life, and especially when war is involved. The Lannister name has been built upon deceptions and double crosses and getting things done through any means necessary. When a young boy saw her banging her brother, she pushed him out of a window. She wanted the crown, so she staged her husband's death as an accident and then got total control of your son. Cersei Lannister gets what she wants however she can, and right now, she wants to keep her crown. With characters like Melisandre and The Night King as wildcards in this whole scenario, would it really be insane to assume she would strike a world-ending deal solely to gavin advantage of her enemies and keep her royal spot?
She Has Jaime
While it's true that patriarch Tywin was the master tactician of the Lannister family, Jaime is a close second in terms of military experience. He has served in the Kingsguard since his teens, and likely knows all the ins and outs of King's Landing, in addition to being able to craft good strategy for battles in Westeros. In Tywin's army, Jaime led 30,000 soldiers to several victories along the Golden Tooth before he was eventually captured by Robb Stark at Riverrun. And sure, he had a rough run of things for a time after that, but let's not forget who really won that war. Dany and Jon may have a bit of experience leading armies, but neither as long as Jaime, and Cersei will undoubtedly call on him for military advice and then some.
King's Landing Won't Fall Easily
Home field will definitely play to Cersei's advantage, as her hub of Westeros is notoriously hard siege with overwhelming success. Attacking from the city side forces soldiers to climb a mountain and then lay siege upon the city itself before finally banging the way up through to the castle. And then once the enemy is inside, the city could very well be booby-trapped, offering many disadvantages. Would attacking the castle by sea be better? Well, we saw how well that worked out for Stannis. The last time King's Landing fell, it happened through civil war with Tywin Lannister working on the inside, and with Cersei's enemies burnt to a crisp, I don't think there's many left within the walls to oppose her.
The Power Of Wildfire
The true X-factor that Cersei has going for her is the wildfire. If you thought Cersei might have exhausted this option when she took out the Tyrell family and a healthy amount of civilians, you might've thought wrong. The Great Sept Of Baelor was just one of the many locations the Mad King stashed wildfire within the city. According to Jaime in Season 3, there are still many wildfire reserves in Flea Bottom, houses, stables, and the Red Keep itself. Surely a dragon could sweep in from the top and do a healthy amount of damage, but can a dragon take a burning as severe as what the wildfire offers? Wildfire has been responsible for saving Cersei twice now, so do we really believe she's going to stop using it?
George R.R. Martin Is Pretty Evil
Let's move beyond plot points here in the end and take the time to say that Cersei could win this whole thing simply because George R.R. Martin likes to see everyone cry. How many times has this show killed off beloved characters and made fans' hearts sink? Now, just imagine Cersei tossing the severed head of Dany at Jon Snow, and tell me that isn't something Martin would love to see on camera, if only because he's evil and enjoys others' suffering. I love his work, certainly, but Martin has made me always assume the worst when it comes to where his stories are going, and I'm not going to stop those aummptions now. Maybe the Game Of Thrones spinoff will grant us less sadness and despair?
Is there anything we missed? Is there anyone who is actually team Cersei going into this great war? Share your thoughts below and be sure you've placed your bets prior to Game Of Thrones return on July 16th at 9 p.m. ET on HBO. We're just weeks away from the premiere, but if that's too long of a wait be sure to visit our summer premiere guide for more shows to watch as you wait, and visit our finale guide to check when any shows you may love could be coming to an end.
